معرفی
Dr. Rebecca Pollet is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Vassar College since 2021. She holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Tulsa and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her postdoctoral work at the University of Michigan focused on polysaccharide degradation mechanisms in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. She has taught at Bard College and Davidson College prior to Vassar.
Her research integrates protein biochemistry and microbiology to study nutrient transport and transcriptional regulation in gut bacteria. Techniques include x-ray crystallography for structural studies and molecular genetics for functional analysis. Her lab explores how protein functions contribute to bacterial growth, with a focus on carbohydrate utilization pathways.
Dr. Pollet advocates for Indigenous scientists through her role coordinating Diversify Microbiology. Her work emphasizes ethical collaboration with Indigenous communities in microbiome research. She teaches courses in biochemistry (BIOL/CHEM 272) and general chemistry (CHEM 121), alongside mentoring senior seminars (BIOC 356).
Her recent publications (2023–2025) address TonB protein roles in polysaccharide utilization, anti-sigma factors, and Indigenous science frameworks. She also explores steroid metabolism in gut microbiomes and speaker diversity initiatives in academia.
